Influence de l’enherbement viticole sur les Carabidae (Coleoptera) et intérêt potentiel pour le contrôle de certains ravageurs de la vigne

Ground cover influence on Carabidae (Coleoptera) populations and potential interest for bio-control of some vineyards pests Description of the subject. This paper deals with carabid populations within vineyards. Objectives. The objectives were to evaluate the effects of ground cover management on carabid populations and to understand the potential of these beetles as predators of some grapevine pests. Method. Two vineyards, located in Geneva (Switzerland), were sampled with 60 pitfall traps. Observations were carried out from March to October 2014 and a botanical survey was carried out in June. Results. In total, 951 carabids belonging to 36 species were captured in the two vineyards. Bare ground and poor plant species treated with herbicides reduced the abundance of the ground beetles. On the other hand, ground covered with spontaneous vegetation, rather than a mixture of seeds, seemed to favor ground beetles throughout the sampling period. Conclusions. The peak activity of the potential predatory beetles corresponded to the occurrence of some vine pests. However, the most common carabid species captured had an omnivorous diet and a low potential for pest predation on viticulture. Keywords. Agrobiodiversity, viticulture, biological control, natural enemies, Carabidae, Switzerland